Ayotzinapa Massacre - Part 2

Arrival in Iguala and take of buses

The decision to take buses for the march of Tlatelolco during the week of September 15-20, 2014, a meeting was held with students from almost all rural areas in the country, among other topics, to prepare the march of October 2, in commemorating the Tlatelolco massacre of 1968. The meeting was held at the Normal Emiliano Zapata, located in Amilcingo, Morelos, and had been convened by the Student Federation of Socialist Peasants of Mexico (FECSM). On September 16, when the time came to choose where the normalists would come to attend the march of October 2, 2014, the names of Tenerías, Amilcingo and Ayotzinapa emerged. According to the information provided by different normalists, Ayotzinapa was chosen because it was near the DF, because it is a normal men's and because it was politically better prepared, in addition to that the normal ones had been previously headquarters.

The taking of buses in days before the events

On September 25, in Ayotzinapa there were already about 8 buses that other academies (grades) had taken before. As part of the preparation for the march and the saving of food, the weekend of September 27 and 28, a good part of the normalists were going to go home to save resources to accommodate the normalists from other states.

On September 23, leaving the Chilpancingo terminal, the “Estrella de Oro” bus 1531 was intercepted by a group of normalists who, according to the driver, "were going to occupy the unit for a march on October 2".

Map

Map from Ayotzinapa to Iguala

The bus of the day 26

According to students interviewed, on September 26 in the morning there was another attempt to take buses in Chilpancingo, but was unsuccessful. At approximately 5:30 p.m., the normalists went out again to dump and take buses, since they had an urgent need for the proximity of the date when they would use them. They left Ayotzinapa, first towards Chilpancingo. After a new attempt to take buses in the city and after seeing several federal patrols, the second course normalist and responsible, decided that they would go to the junction of Huitzuco to take buses. In this crossing35 they make periodic boatings. Two buses that were already in school, the “Estrella de Oro” 1531 and 1568, left the Normal with three drivers.

When they reached the junction, the normalists decided that one of the buses should stay in the “La Palma” restaurant area, while the other went to the Iguala house, also known as the number 3 collection house on the Iguala – “Puente de Ixtla”, to continue with its activities.

Hut of Iguala

The normalists arrived at the house number 3 of Iguala between 19:30 and 20:00 hours. According to the conductor of the “Estrella de Oro” bus 1568, when I arrived "I noticed that near the house there was a patrol of state forces and they observed the students and they withdrew from the patrol." While normalists on the 1568 “Estrella de Oro” bus waited at the Iguala booth to make a bus or take buses in that area, they reported that a federal police patrol had been left on the other side of the causeway and then, a few minutes later, On the other side of the house came patrols of the same policeman, staying about 300 meters, with the lights on.

According to the statement of the intelligence agent EM that works in the file, the afternoon of the same day, carried out tasks of surveillance of the students in the house of Iguala. This information has been contrasted with the statement of Lieutenant JG, apparently its direct officer, who states that at 7:30 pm approximately two buses with normal Ayotzinapa in the vicinity of Iguala, one in “Rancho del Cura” and another in The Iguala / Tixtla collection house, stating that it informed the commander of Battalion 27 (B27) as well as Military Zone 35 of these facts.

Decision to go to Iguala and circumstances of fact

At approximately 20:15 hours, as they passed by the place known as “Rancho del Cura”, the normalists stopped a bus from “Costa Line” Company 2513 that was going to Iguala. The interviewed normalists reported that the driver told them that he had to leave the ticket at the Iguala Bus Station, after which they could complete their action. They got on that bus between 5 and 6 normalists, with the objective of reaching Iguala and, once the passengers got off the bus, take it to Ayotzinapa. This version is confirmed by the driver, who said that a group of hooded men stopped the bus and the "agreement" that made the vehicle return to the same place later. Meanwhile, the normalists who had traveled at the “Estrella de Oro” 1531 stood waiting for other opportunities to take buses and continue with the boat.

The “Costa Line” 2513 would have arrived at approximately 20:30 hours at the Iguala bus station, with passengers and group of students. Once the passengers got off, as reported by the normalists who were traveling in that vehicle, the driver closed the bus, leaving them inside while going to speak with members of the Central service.

Also the driver of the “Estrella de Oro” 1531 corroborates this version. According to his statement, half an hour after the “Costa Line” bus to Iguala, he heard a phone call that received the same normalist "and very upset he told me, let's go, have already caught my companions, let's release them, let's go to the Central of Costa Line ". This was also reported by normal witnesses during the inspection of the place known as “Rancho del Cura” or “La Palma” restaurant. Before leaving, they took stones for possible confrontations.

Also in the stage of the house of Iguala, in the bus “Estrella de Oro” 1568, the student Bernardo Flores, nicknamed Cochiloco, received a telephone call and informed the driver of what is happening.

Although it was dark, because it was about 8:45 p.m., they decided to go and help their classmates. By then the bus company had warned the municipal police of the arrival of a group of normalists to the station.

Event of the DIF president finalized

On September 26, 2014, María de los Angeles Pineda Abarca presented her second report in the central square of Iguala at the head of the DIF, an event scheduled to begin at 6:00 pm. One of the hypotheses handled in the case was that the young normalists would have gone to Iguala to boycott the act of the president of the DIF.

Maria de los Angeles Pineda and Jose Luis Abarca, Mayor of Iguala.

Strong relationship between the Mexican Army and Jose Luis Abarca, here is in a ceremony in the 27 Infantry Battalion in Iguala

Arrival to the Central of the buses "Estrella de Oro"

The “Estrella de Oro” buses 1531 and 1568 arrived at the Central at 21:16 hours and stayed on both sides of the entrance. Meanwhile, security personnel alerted police to the presence of a large group of Ayotzinapa students. At that time, the normalists made the decision to take more buses, which was not previously agreed.

Departure from the bus station

At 21:23:50 hours, one of the “Costa Line” buses departed from the Central Station and at 21:26:30 the second departed, both at the station door, joining the 1568 “Estrella de Oro” outside. The “Estrella de Oro” 1531 was already advancing to leave Iguala, heading for the South Peripheral. In the “Estrella de Oro” buses the rest of the normalists had gone up. The buses left Galeana Street in this order: “Estrella de Oro” 1531, which was ahead of the others; “Costa Line” 2012, Costa Line 2510 and “Estrella de Oro” 1568. The images of the cameras show that at 21:17:41 hours, after leaving the buses, some policemen arrived with the gun in hand, on foot and reporting by Radio in the same street Galeana, in the door of exit of the buses. Meanwhile, the “Estrella Roja” (Ecotur) left the back of the terminal, “Calle Altamirano”, at 21:26:28 hours.

Information from C-4 and 066 on arrival and departure from the bus station

The C-4 is a coordination and communication structure in which representatives of the state police, the federal police, the municipal police and the army is present. It operates as a communication system that receives external calls through telephone 066. The normalists who arrived at the Central were also monitored by these institutions through the C-4. In addition, members of the Army in their statements to the PGR point out the vigilance and information they had about them. Both Lieutenant JG and Commander JRP noted the fluid communication established by the C-4, which monitored the movements of the normalists.

In urgent office 22632, which is part of the documents declassified by the army, it is mentioned that the normalists take two buses; don’t collect information from the third bus: This report does not refer to the “Estrella Roja” bus.

Different trajectories of the 5 buses

The route of the 5 buses was divided in three routes. “Estrella de Oro” Star 1531 left alone towards the South Peripheral. Shortly afterwards, in the same direction but by the back of the bus station, on “Calle Altamirano”, the “Estrella Roja” bus departed. The other three buses, two “Costa Line” and “Estrella de Oro” 1568, continued along Galeana Street, through which they left, passing through Zócalo Square, where it becomes Juan N. Álvarez Street, which goes to the northern Periferico.

At that time, either by a road (south) or another (north) the five buses of normalists go to the exits to Chilpancingo to go to Ayotzinapa with the aim of completing their action.

Comment

Throughout this story, the C4 system was monitoring normal students, both the Mexican Army and the federal, state and municipal police. Also notice the omission that makes the army of the "Estrella Roja" bus.

Translation:

Red Star bus = Autobus Estrella Roja

Gold Star bus = Autobus Estrella de Oro

Source: Report published in September 2015 by the interdisciplinary group of independent experts GIEI of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights IACHR.

Links

Ayotzinapa Massacre - Part 1Here are some parts of the research done by the interdisciplinary group of independent experts GIEI and that is in its first report published in September of 2015.

Ayotzinapa Massacre - Part 3Violence and attacks against normalists. Night of terror in Iguala ends with 43 forced disappearances of normal students and six dead.